Wednesday, November 29, 2006

I can seem blunt

(This was supposed to be posted Monday, but in a continuing adventure with hardware/software, at first my camera refused to work, then the software to upload photo’s failed.. Obviously, both have been resolved.)And sometimes, my bluntness comes across as hostile--it less likely to happen when I speak, but in written communications, with out the tone of voice, I know Iomes off as hard.

Take the stocking knit stitch.Once in a newbie thread over on Knitty.com’s forums, I told it like it is:Stocking knit stitch rolls......You can block it flat, but stocking knit rolls.....You can add borders, and they will help,........but stocking knit will still roll......It is the nature of stocking knit stitch to roll.

This is not a bad thing, it just is.If you accept its nature, you’ll be a lot happier in your knitting.If you accept its nature, you can learn to use it.

The newest entry in my obsessive hat collection (you should know, I almost never wear hats, I just design and knit them!) is my stocking knit/reverse stocking knit hat. The hat is pretty simple, I just let stocking knits nature (to roll) do most of work! The rolls make deep ridges and valleys, and they make most the design.The Yarn Helps too! On my way home from my Friday knitting group, I stop into Michael’s, (I had 50% coupons) and I was entranced by Paton’s SWS (soy wool stripes). I started the hat Friday evening. I finished the hat last night. (My socks (below) temporarily put aside) Self striping yarn is always fun to knit with, and this yarn is no exception. It is a gently spun single ply yarn, that felts even though it has 30% soysilk in the blend. The soy silk gives the yarn a softer, crisper hand, and a sily sheen. The stripes are good long runs -- at 35 stitches to the row, stripes lasted about 6 rows on average.

I was so pleased with how it worked up, that Saturday, when out on other errands, I forced myself to buy some more--I have been looking for something special for baby’s hat, and now I have it.

So here is a view of the hat on a ‘head’ - (this first image has the best color quality, even if it not the best view)and one of the hat flat (folded on its side)

and another view of the hat folded so it sort of looks like a beret (or frisbie).

This hat took 2 balls (1 full ball yielded about 11 ridges/valley’s, the full hat is 13 ridges valleys..) so I still have most of the second skein left over. I think another few balls are in order, so a matching scarf or perhaps wristlets/fingerless gloves can be made.

This is not quite a pattern, but an general, generic directions to make a hat of a similar style.This hat is knit flat and sewn into shape.Cast on a number of stitches to equal 7 to 9 inches--the number to cast on depends on your yarn and gauge. (see finishing for details about which cast on to use!)--in worsted weight, the number will be about 35 to 40 stitches--for other yarns, more or fewerWork in Garter OR rows of Stocking knit/reverse stocking knit (4 to 6 rows) --scarf like.(For this hat, I used 6 rows of stocking knit, then 6 rows of reverse stocking knit--but I have also made this hat, and this hat using garter stitch-)AT THE SAME TIME, Increase 1 at one edge (cast on tail edge) and Decrease 1 at the other edge, EVERY OTHER ROW.USE AN OPEN (yo) increase, and place it 1 stitch away from edge.

This will result in a diagonal scarf, about 7 to 9 inches wide, and 20 or inches long.It will be shaped something like this:/.............../Make the 'scarf' as long as your head is wide (circ 19 to 20 inches long (50cm give or take 5!))--my hat is longer, (about 24 inches(55cm)) because I didn't want the stocking knit/reverse stocking knit ridges to open too much, (its feels loose on the head)--bonus, its less likely to cause hat hair (but its more likely to be blown off your head in heavy winds!)Finish:Sew cast on edge to bind off edge (do this in middle of stocking knit ridge (so it get hidden)

(or be fancy, and use provisional cast on and graft!(as I did)Then run a drawstring through YO/increases "holes" and gather up tight. (knot!)MY hat was inspired by a hat I saw at NYKnit Out this year, (that hat was done in a fine Noro mohair)

And here are the newest socks on needle.

They are a rehash of the last sock --only all the issues have been resolved. A different sock yarn (this is Koigu) add interest, but doesn’t fight the lace pattern. A different cast on (this is channel Island cast on) adds a picot edge, with less effort than *the hemmed picot edge attempted last time. Worked in the same lace pattern as before--but now, after a half dozen repeats, I have learned the pattern. A much more successful set of socks is emerging.

*I have decided that I only like picot edges (the kind that are hemmed) when I end with them. They are fine for bind off edges, but not for cast on edges.